NameCensus.

UK surname

Dickins

An English surname derived from the medieval nickname "Dick", a diminutive of Richard.

In the 1881 census there were 1,101 people recorded with the Dickins surname, ranking it #3,609 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 681, ranked #7,872, down from #3,609 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Risley, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, North Lincolnshire and Aylesbury Vale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dickins is 1,268 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 38.1%.

1881 census count

1,101

Ranked #3,609

Modern count

681

2016, ranked #7,872

Peak year

1911

1,268 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dickins had 1,101 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,609 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 681 in 2016, ranked #7,872.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,268 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dickins surname distribution map

The map shows where the Dickins surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Dickins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dickins over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,204 #2,367
1861 historical 1,133 #2,479
1881 historical 1,101 #3,609
1891 historical 1,017 #4,088
1901 historical 1,116 #4,336
1911 historical 1,268 #3,746
1997 modern 737 #6,970
1998 modern 752 #7,086
1999 modern 742 #7,208
2000 modern 755 #7,066
2001 modern 720 #7,204
2002 modern 740 #7,180
2003 modern 698 #7,397
2004 modern 710 #7,313
2005 modern 685 #7,480
2006 modern 686 #7,491
2007 modern 702 #7,405
2008 modern 675 #7,687
2009 modern 697 #7,662
2010 modern 718 #7,631
2011 modern 703 #7,676
2012 modern 686 #7,717
2013 modern 689 #7,833
2014 modern 694 #7,826
2015 modern 677 #7,932
2016 modern 681 #7,872

Geography

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Where Dickins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Risley, London parishes, St Pancras, Northampton All Saints and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, North Lincolnshire, Aylesbury Vale, East Devon and Lewes. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Risley Bedfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Northampton All Saints Northamptonshire
5 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 038 Shropshire
2 North Lincolnshire 003 North Lincolnshire
3 Aylesbury Vale 004 Aylesbury Vale
4 East Devon 007 East Devon
5 Lewes 005 Lewes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dickins

These lists show first names that appear often with the Dickins surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dickins

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Dickins, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Dickins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Dickins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Dickins is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Dickins is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Dickins falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dickins is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Dickins, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dickins

The surname Dickins has its origins in England, tracing back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the given name "Dick," a diminutive form of the name Richard, which was a popular name during that era. The suffix "-ins" or "-in" was commonly added to form patronymic surnames, indicating "son of."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Dickins can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where a person named John Diccun is mentioned. This spelling variation, along with others like Dycun and Dicun, suggests the name's evolution over time.

The Dickins surname is also believed to have connections with certain place names in England. For instance, it may have originated from the village of Deacon in Staffordshire, or from the hamlet of Dicken's Green in Hertfordshire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Dickins include John Dickins (1613-1700), an English Baptist minister and writer who published several religious works. Another prominent figure was Francis Dickins (1699-1773), an English hymn writer and poet who composed numerous hymns for the Baptist congregation.

In the 19th century, Reverend Thomas Dickins (1796-1872) was a Methodist minister and author in the United States, known for his writings on religious topics. Robert Dickins (1824-1902), an English engraver and illustrator, was renowned for his illustrations in various books and magazines.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Dickins is Charles Dickens (1812-1870), the celebrated English writer and social critic. Although his surname is spelled differently, some scholars believe it may have derived from the same root as Dickins, potentially influenced by regional variations or spelling changes over time.

Throughout history, the Dickins surname has been associated with various occupations, including clergymen, writers, artists, and other professions, reflecting the diversity of individuals who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dickins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dickins surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Buckinghamshire leads with 207 Dickins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.88x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 207 31.88x
Middlesex 185 1.72x
Northamptonshire 174 17.22x
Surrey 67 1.28x
Warwickshire 61 2.25x
Lancashire 51 0.40x
Yorkshire 51 0.48x
Bedfordshire 43 7.73x
Lincolnshire 34 1.98x
Nottinghamshire 30 2.07x
Derbyshire 28 1.67x
Cheshire 27 1.14x
Essex 23 1.08x
Leicestershire 18 1.51x
Hertfordshire 17 2.30x
Worcestershire 15 1.07x
Staffordshire 14 0.39x
Kent 10 0.27x
Gloucestershire 9 0.43x
Northumberland 7 0.44x
Somerset 7 0.40x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.66x
Hampshire 3 0.14x
Lanarkshire 3 0.09x
Sussex 3 0.17x
Dorset 2 0.28x
Norfolk 2 0.12x
Berkshire 1 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.23x
Durham 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.23x
Monmouthshire 1 0.13x
Shropshire 1 0.11x
Stirlingshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stewkley in Buckinghamshire leads with 93 Dickins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1882.59x.

Place Total Index
Stewkley 93 1882.59x
Mursley 29 1387.56x
Northampton All Sts 24 70.01x
St Pancras London 24 2.78x
Islington London 22 2.11x
Wellingborough 18 35.44x
Chilvers Coton 17 152.60x
Nottingham St Mary 17 4.54x
Bierton With Broughton 16 535.12x
Croydon 16 5.51x
Leicester St Margaret 16 5.51x
Newbottle 14 740.74x
Newington 13 3.28x
Northampton Priory St 13 21.45x
Camberwell 12 1.75x
Sheffield 12 3.54x
Hackney London 11 1.83x
Shoreditch London 11 2.36x
St George Hanover Square 11 5.81x
Stratford On Avon 11 73.24x
Walgrave 11 495.50x
Grandborough 10 900.90x
Holcot 10 724.64x
Hornsey 10 7.36x
Nash 10 787.40x
Toxteth Park 10 2.32x
West Ham 10 2.14x
Wollaston 10 179.86x
Eckington 9 22.03x
Everton 9 2.22x
Hampstead London 9 5.38x
Hanging Houghton 9 1956.52x
Lambeth 9 0.96x
Manchester 9 1.57x
Mile End Old Town London 9 3.94x
Moulton 9 160.14x
Northampton St Sepulchre 9 17.51x
Putney 9 18.39x
St Marylebone London 9 1.57x
Whitchurch 9 337.08x
Chelsea London 8 2.47x
Great Horwood 8 305.34x
Harborne 8 6.89x
Kensington London 8 1.34x
Middleton Upon Leven 8 2500.00x
Sharnbrook 8 259.74x
St Clement Danes London 8 35.99x
Sutton Coldfield 8 28.10x
Wing 8 132.89x
Aylesbury 7 24.33x
Cheltenham 7 4.31x
Hertford St Andrew 7 76.59x
Leconfield Arram 7 593.22x
Leyton 7 19.17x
Long Lawford 7 277.78x
Luton 7 7.27x
Macclesfield 7 6.64x
Orpington 7 62.39x
Portishead 7 54.47x
Rempstone 7 603.45x
St Anne Soho London 7 11.41x
Torksey 7 1186.44x
Tutnall Cobley 7 382.51x
Cherrington 6 659.34x
Elstree 6 245.90x
Hammersmith London 6 2.27x
Holbeach 6 31.38x
Marston 6 166.21x
Matlock 6 26.57x
Newton Longville 6 346.82x
Spratton 6 198.02x
Walthamstow 6 7.86x
Yeldon 6 666.67x
Broughton In Salford 5 4.29x
Heckmondwike 5 14.61x
Lamport 5 819.67x
Little Hale 5 375.94x
Monken Hadley 5 116.55x
Monks Coppenhall 5 5.59x
St Luke London 5 2.90x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Dickins surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 65
Elizabeth 45
Sarah 34
Jane 25
Eliza 23
Ann 22
Emma 20
Annie 19
Alice 17
Emily 12
Clara 11
Edith 10
Ellen 10
Louisa 10
Charlotte 9
Harriet 9
Ada 8
Hannah 8
Rose 8
Caroline 7
Margaret 7
Martha 7
Susan 7
Anne 6
Elizth. 6
Esther 6
Fanny 6
Florence 6
Lucy 6
Maria 6
Frances 5
Isabella 5
Kate 4
Matilda 4
Minnie 4
Susannah 4
Augusta 3
Catherine 3
Ethel 3
Eva 3
Nellie 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Ruth 3
Amy 2
Jessie 2
Lydia 2
Marion 2
Monica 2
Penlope 2

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Dickins surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 59
John 54
Charles 42
Thomas 40
George 35
Henry 21
Joseph 21
Edward 18
Arthur 15
Alfred 13
Frederick 10
James 10
Albert 9
Herbert 9
Robert 8
Richard 7
Samuel 7
Francis 6
Harry 6
Daniel 5
Edwin 5
Frank 5
Fredk. 5
Stephen 5
Walter 5
Thos. 4
Edmund 3
Lewis 3
Willm. 3
Wm. 3
Abel 2
Abraham 2
Benjamin 2
David 2
Edwd. 2
Fredrick 2
Jno. 2
Percy 2
Reginald 2
Robt. 2
Rowland 2
Sidney 2
Timothy 2
Tom 2
Arnold 1
Asa 1
Clement 1
Edmond 1
Hori 1
Hubert 1

FAQ

Dickins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dickins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,101 people were recorded with the Dickins surname. That placed it at #3,609 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dickins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 681 in 2016. That gives Dickins a modern rank of #7,872.

What does the Dickins surname mean?

An English surname derived from the medieval nickname "Dick", a diminutive of Richard.

What does the Dickins map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Dickins bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.